The present invention relates to guns of the so-called "muzzle loader" type and, more particularly, to a closed breech assembly therefor comprising, a breech block member adapted to be fitted into a gunstock and to receive the barrel in combination with the gunstock, the breech block member including a first bulkhead disposed over the breech end of the barrel, the first bulkhead having a first bore therein having an axis parallel to the axis of the barrel, the breech block member further including a second bulkhead spaced from the first bulkhead to create a space therebetween, the second bulkhead having a second bore therein in axial alignment with the first bore, the breech block member additionally including a vertically disposed chimney bore communicating between the bottom of the space and the outside atmosphere; a nipple member disposed in the first bore, the nipple member having a third bore therein having an axis parallel to the axis of the barrel and facing into the space, the third bore being sized to releasably receive a percussion cap therein, the nipple member further having a fourth bore therein communicating between the bottom of the third bore and the interior of the barrel at the breech end thereof whereby a percussion cap detonated in the third bore will in turn detonate gunpowder disposed in the barrel; a cylindrical sliding sleeve disposed within the second bore, the sliding sleeve being slidable between a closed position against the first bulkhead to cover the space and the nipple member and a retracted position spaced from the first bulkhead to expose the space and the nipple member, the sliding sleeve having means in the sidewalls thereof for the passage of gases therethrough from the nipple member to the chimney bore when the sliding sleeve is in the closed position; a cylindrical firing pin assembly disposed within the sliding sleeve, the firing pin assembly being slidable between a closed position close adjacent the nipple member and a retracted position spaced from the nipple member to expose the nipple member, the firing pin assembly having an axial fifth bore therethrough and including a firing pin slidably disposed within the fifth bore and spring bias means for urging the firing pin towards the nipple member; and, trigger means disposed in the breech block member for holding the firing pin retracted from the nipple member against the bias force of the spring bias means and for releasing the firing pin to move towards the nipple member from the bias force of the spring bias means.
Muzzle loaders have been around for a long time. Some of the earliest muzzle loaders were to so-called "flintlock muskets" as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 and generally indicated as 10 therein. The early muzzle loaders 10 comprised an elongated barrel 12 fitted at the breech end 14 to a stock 16. The powder 18 and shot were inserted through the open end 20 of the barrel 12, rammed into place with a ramrod (not shown), and held in place with wadding (also not shown). A priming pan 22 also held a quantity of powder 18 which was ignited by the sparks from a flint 24 striking the priming pan 22 when the trigger 26 was pulled. A small bore 28 communicated between the priming pan 22 and the inside of the barrel 12 containing the primary charge of powder 18. When the powder 18 in the priming pan 22 was ignited, the detonation flashed through the small bore 28 to the primary charge of powder 18 within the barrel 12 causing the muzzle loader 10 to fire. As can be appreciated, there was a certain amount of blowback out of the small bore 28 as the muzzle loader 10 fired--largely in the direction of the face and eyes of the shooter. Moreover, any dampness getting into the priming pan 22 could easily cause misfire.
An improvement to the prior art basic muzzle loader 10 of FIGS. 1 and 2 is indicated as 10' in FIG. 3. In this instance, the priming pan 22 has been replaced by a percussion cap holder 30 into which a percussion cap (not shown) is inserted. The small bore 28 is still present communicating between the interior of the barrel 12 and, in this case, the percussion cap holder 30. When the trigger is pulled, the hammer 32 strikes the percussion cap in the holder 30 causing it to detonate and, in turn, detonate the powder 18 in the barrel 12. While the percussion cap muzzle loader 10' of FIG. 3 was a vast improvement over the "flintlock" design of FIGS. 1 and 2, there was still moisture and blowback problems.
Over the years, there have been various improvements to firearms employing percussion caps for the discharge thereof. Most are designed along the lines of the simplified drawing of FIG. 4. As shown therein, there is a primary member 34 containing a first bore 36 for releasably receiving the percussion cap 38. The first bore 36 communicates with the main bore 40 by means of the passageway 42. Secondary member 44 containing a slidable firing pin 46, or the like, is movable against or away from the percussion cap 38 as indicated by the arrow 48. When in the closed position of FIG. 4 and struck by the hammer 50, the percussion cap 38 detonates the main charge (not shown) in the main bore 40. As indicated, the blowback is directed out the space between the primary and secondary members 34, 44. Moisture, of course, can also enter therethrough. For examples of such devices, reference can be made to U.S. Pat. Nos. 1,747,057 (Driggs, Jr. et al.), 4,227,330 and 4,232,468 (Chapin), 4,222,191 (Lee et al.), 3,780,464 (Anderson), 3,757,447 (Rowe), 29,676 (Davis), 1,544 (Bentley et al.), 11,483 (Knight), and 1,422 (Smith).
Despite the very basic nature of muzzle loaders and the many advances in the firearms art, muzzle loaders still have numerous advocates and many states have separate hunting seasons for the use of muzzle loaders as they do for hunters employing bow and arrow. Thus, there continues to be interest in improving the art. For an interesting approach to the use of percussion caps with a muzzle loader, attention is directed to Davis (4,503,633).
There still exists a need in the muzzle loader art for a muzzle loader which essentially seals the percussion cap at the breech from moisture, and the like, while, at the same time, providing a safe and directed exit for the blowback gases upon firing. Moreover, there still exists a need for a manner of quickly and accurately loading a muzzle loader. Other than the bag charges as employed with large naval guns, as shown in U.S. Pat. No. 3,771,459 (Lohnstein), the archaic nature of the loading art with respect to muzzle loaders is typified by Clarke U.S. Pat. No. (1,565), which issued in 1840.
Wherefore, it is the object of the present invention to provide such improvements to the muzzle loader art.